


Us (against the world)

by MiriRainbowitz



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Kinda bc they're not REALLY enemies at the start, Slow Burn, They're hesitant allies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-11-18 01:52:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18110834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiriRainbowitz/pseuds/MiriRainbowitz
Summary: When Amaya sets out to destroy the shadow assassins that Viren unleashed, the only person she can turn to for help is Janai, the Sunfire elf General. But whydoesthe elf want to help? Is it only because she wants to stop the assassins, or is it something more?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Callmeoa](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Callmeoa).



> Okay so there's elements of canon I'm gonna ignore (like the fact that Amaya hates elves) bc otherwise the story wouldn't work. Also I'm pretending that everyone knows sign language bc it makes things a lot easier.

Amaya knows this is foolish. No, it's worse than foolish- it's downright stupid. Logically, there's no way this will work.

But she can't do this alone. She can't stop the shadow assassins by herself. She needs someone with magic- like the Sunfire elf General. 

Amaya hopes that the strange truce between her and the elf will be enough to get the elf to help her. That and she knows that elves abhor dark magic, so that's another point in her favor. Also, the shadow assassins have the seeming of elves, which ought to get her another point. She refuses to think that these things won't be enough. They have to be. 

Her horse startles, and Amaya tenses. She knows she's probably close to the elven outpost, so she starts scanning the surroundings. Sure enough, a few seconds later, two elves step out of the shadows onto the path. Instinct has Amaya reaching for her sword before she raises her hands above her head. She knows she could take out these elves, but that wouldn't help her case. 

She signs _I need to talk to your general._

 _Why?_ One of the elves signs back. 

_Please. It's important._

The elves share a series of looks before one signs back _wait here._

 _Okay_ , Amaya signs, and one of the elves walks off. In less than a minute, the elf comes back- with the General. 

_Here goes nothing_ , Amaya thinks, and starts signing. It takes her a few minutes to finish. 

When she's done, the elf general considers Amaya for what seems like an eternity, and then signs _why me?_

 _Because I need you_ , Amaya replies. _Please. I need your help._

There's another long pause. Amaya can see the calculations going on in the general's orange-colored eyes, and finally, the moment when she lands on an answer. 

_Yes._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I asked Giancarlo Volpe if there was a map with a scale, and he said there wasn't. Ergo, I'm using the map on [the TDP website](https://thedragonprince.com/world/), but I'm making up the distances.
> 
> As a reference, I'm putting Janaya's starting point at 6, and the numbers representing the human kingdoms as the locations the shadow assassins are going.

Normally, Amaya would appreciate the fire she's sitting in front of. It's warm, it's well-built, and it's giving her enough light to see the elf sitting on the other side of the cave.

But the elf is the reason _why_ she's on edge. When they stopped for the night in a conveniently located cave, Amaya had gone to get word for a fire. Once she had piled up the wood just so, she'd reached for her flint and tinder, only for Janai to reach out a glowing hand and ignite the sticks.

It's a scary reminder of who she's traveling with- not Gren, not another soldier, not even another human mage- an elf. An uneasy ally, a being who could easily turn those glowing hands on Amaya. As on edge as she is right now, she'd even prefer _Viren's_ company instead.

Across the fire, for some reason, Janai smiles at her, and something in Amaya flutters. It makes her look more, well, attractive, and Amaya thinks that maybe she wouldn't prefer Viren right now.

Besides, there's also a part of Amaya that's a bit fascinated by Janai. While Amaya had ridden her horse, Janai ran alongside her, not seeming to need to rest the way a human would. She'd also taken off her headdress, revealing gold-tipped horns rising out of a full head of reddish cornrows, and had substituted her full plate armor for lighter stuff.

She hadn't made much of an effort to talk, but neither had Amaya, focusing on getting as far as they could in one day. By Amaya's estimation, they had traveled about thirty miles, which meant that there was another seventy to go before they reached Evenere, which was the closest kingdom to Katolis. Amaya knew they would have to hurry to get to Evenere before the shadow assassin did, but she thought they could do it.

Amaya's belly grumbles, drawing her back to the present. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a loaf of bread baked with rosemary and garlic and starts eating it.

While she's eating, she feels Janai's gaze on her, and looks up to see Janai watching her. Amaya signs, _do you want some?_

 _No, but thank you_ , Janai replies. _We…_ She hesitates, then continues. _Sunfire elves get our energy from the Sun, and from fire to a lesser extent, but we don't really eat food._

 _More for me then_ , Amaya signs, and is shocked when she sees Janai actually _chuckle_. It sends a rush of pride through her, that she made the normally stoic elf laugh, before she quashes that emotion. She's only with Janai to stop the assassins, not to become her friend.

Feeling disgruntled with herself, Amaya decides that now would be a good time to go to sleep. She quickly finishes the bread, then signs _good night_ and goes over to her bedroll. She turns away from the fire, putting it - and Janai - at her back. She doesn't care if Janai responds.

Except there's a small part of her that _does_.

**Author's Note:**

> I just started a gofundme to get a hysterectomy. You can donate directly [here](https://www.gofundme.com/1nuiu3v7w0) or reblog [this post](https://dammmithardison.tumblr.com/post/185472729795/click-here-to-support-hysterectomy-organized-by) to spread the word.


End file.
